♪ I'm a top notch goddess with some places to be ♪ ♪ You's a big pretender ♪ - [Astin] How would I describe my music?

I would say traditional rock and roll.

There are elements of punk, there are elements of gospel, there are elements of soul.

♪ Finger on the trigger ♪ ♪ Gotta let you go ♪ ♪ Ay I aint settling down I'ma activate ♪ - [Rex] I make music like a diary and I put a piece of me into every bit of that song.

♪ Blood aint always thicker than water ♪ - [Rex] I'm doing this because I genuinely love music.

- [Narrator] "Sounds Like ATL" is brought to you by Georgia Power.

(gentle music) (suspensful music) ♪ Every time ♪ - [Astin] One, two, three, four.

(upbeat music) ♪ W-A-B-E. ♪ (gentle jazz music) (text zapping) (mellow music) - [Crew 1] The Blk Pearl, take one, common mark.

- What's going on WABE?

My name is Astin and I rock.

This is Fred on drums and Andrew on keys, and we together roll as The Blk Pearl.

This first song is a combination of two songs, "Intro Inferno" from our EP "Cult Classic" and "Top Notch Goddess" from our first EP "2:22," like the time on a clock.

(mellow music) (upbeat band music) (Astin vocalizing) (upbeat band music) (upbeat band music) (upbeat band music continues) (Astin Vocalizing) (upbeat band music) (Astin Vocalizing) (upbeat band music) (groovy bass guitar music) (upbeat music) ♪ Just hopped down off the camel's back ♪ ♪ You couldn't find my with a series of maps ♪ ♪ I can never sex a demon that can't take my soul ♪ ♪ Finger on the trigger ♪ ♪ Gotta let you go ♪ ♪ I'm the top notch goddess ♪ ♪ With some places to be ♪ ♪ You's a big pretender ♪ ♪ Mammals you wanna see ♪ ♪ Even mama sees you guessing ♪ ♪ You want at me second guessing ♪ ♪ With that mediocre you're likely spreading out here ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Tens across the board ♪ ♪ Judges hand me a clap ♪ ♪ Sweeping all awards while you begging for scraps ♪ ♪ I can never let a chick out here affect my wealth ♪ ♪ Worrying about your hating self ♪ ♪ Ain't good for my health ♪ ♪ I'm the top notch goddess ♪ ♪ With some places to go ♪ ♪ You's a big pretender ♪ ♪ Mammals you wanna know ♪ ♪ Even daddy sees you dancing ♪ ♪ You won't have me second guessing ♪ ♪ With the petty little messes that start now ♪ ♪ Yo ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you like that ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ ♪ You know I don't mess with you ♪ (upbeat music) - So I go by Astin Rocks.

Astin is my real first name.

Rocks is my last name to you.

(Astin laughing) I play bass and I sing.

Andrew is our keyboardist.

So the core group is mainly myself and Fred on drums, we started off as a drum and bass group and we typically, like, we're a trio with like sometimes guitar, right now keyboard.

Eventually I want to do like the whole like real southern rock shebang and like have Andrew, and a guitarist, and like horns.

Like I wanna go like full like 70s, I don't know, like that's the kind of sound that I want.

But right now it's just us three and it's easy 'cause when somebody says no, it's like okay then I guess, I don't know, I like to keep my band small.

"Intro Inferno" just started off as a jam.

Anytime we were starting a show and we wanted people to pay attention, I know some people like to jump straight into the song.

I like to start off with an intro just to like, I don't want you to miss anything.

I'm just gonna warm y'all up.

And we would just do that at every show and I'm like, this is cool enough to record.

So that's kind of our mantra in a way, like it's how we start every show.

And "Top Notch Goddess" is the first song actually I ever wrote to bass.

I was still kinda harboring anger against a situationship that didn't work out and I was harboring anger against like not finding my crowd.

And I made it to a point where the expiration date to tell them off had already passed.

So I instead wanted to encapsulate it into a song so that it could just be this evergreen like, you know, I don't mess with you.

And yeah, that's how "Top Notch Goddess" became a song.

This next song is off of our "Cold Classic" EP and it's called "Isolation."

Two, three, and.

(groovy band music) ♪ This is a call for help ♪ ♪ I've seem to lost my imagination ♪ ♪ I can't even see the light ♪ ♪ When I'm lost in meditation ♪ ♪ I can't even hear a voice ♪ ♪ When I'm asking for a divination ♪ ♪ I just sit up by myself ♪ ♪ All alone in my isolation ♪ ♪ Sitting in Benz in my isolation ♪ ♪ Looking for answers in my isolation ♪ ♪ They want me to get off the phone ♪ ♪ I'm still practicing I'm on ♪ ♪ And girl I can't seem to get a grip ♪ ♪ Don't lay me all I know why it angers ♪ ♪ I'm over to hurt myself ♪ ♪ My own feelings in my visible body ♪ ♪ Hold on tight and simmer still ♪ ♪ Falling into my isolation ♪ ♪ This, this, this, this, this, this, this, this ♪ ♪ I got some holes in my memory ♪ ♪ I don't miss ♪ ♪ And I'm feeling kind of broken ♪ ♪ Why I can't I fix it ♪ ♪ I think I'm meant to be alone ♪ ♪ This, this, this, this, this, this, this, this ♪ ♪ I got some holes in my memory ♪ ♪ I can't fix ♪ ♪ And I'm feeling kind of broken ♪ ♪ What did I miss ♪ ♪ Am I meant to feel all alone ♪ ♪ I do my hair if I'm going out on my own ♪ (groovy band music) (Astin vocalizing) (groovy band music) ♪ This, this, this, this, this, this, this, this ♪ ♪ I got some holes in my memory ♪ ♪ I don't miss ♪ ♪ And I'm feeling kind of broken ♪ ♪ Why I can't I fix it ♪ ♪ Am I meant to be all alone ♪ ♪ This, this, this, this, this, this, this, this ♪ ♪ I got some holes in my memory ♪ ♪ I can't fix ♪ ♪ And I'm feeling kind of broken ♪ ♪ What did I miss ♪ ♪ And am I meant to be alone ♪ ♪ This, this, this, this, this, this, this, this ♪ ♪ I got some holes in my memory I don't miss ♪ ♪ And then I'm really kind of broken ♪ ♪ Why can't I fix this ♪ ♪ Am I meant to be all alone ♪ ♪ This, this, this, this, this, this, this, this ♪ ♪ I got some holes in my memory ♪ ♪ I don't miss ♪ ♪ And I'm feeling kind of broken ♪ ♪ And I don't miss it ♪ ♪ I think that I'm meant to stand on my own ♪ ♪ I think I know I'm going to make it on my own ♪ - "Isolation" is pretty dark.

It is probably the emo track of the bunch and it's just a way to express how I feel in my darkest moments.

I do live with major depressive disorder.

Well "Isolation," even as I was performing it just now, it allows me to feel like I'm not alone and that it is okay to ask for help.

It is my like it's the first line in the song is like "This is a call for help."

So it is my like saying that I live with depression but I know I'm going to make it.

And that's, I don't even remember when I wrote that, but it was probably around the time as "Top Notch Goddess," you know, I'm sure 2020 was a dark year for a lot of people, so (laughs).

(upbeat drumming) ♪ I know you seek peace from inside me ♪ ♪ But I just gotta know ♪ ♪ Who you think you're talking to ♪ - The Blk Pearl actually came, a friend and I were bouncing off names for a band because I really wanted something that no one else had.

And he mentioned The Black Pearl in jest because like, you know, it was the coolest ship in "Pirates of the Caribbean."

I kept it, but I kept it simply because I remember serving as a waitress and a coworker of mine pulled me aside and was like, "I love when you rock pearls to work "'cause you just walk like," oh I can't say that word, but she was basically saying your confidence is exuberant when you're wearing pearls.

So I wanted to kind of find a name that encompassed like, you know, the rage, the punkness of it all while also acknowledging like, I'm a girl that wears pearls and so I am a black woman doing rock and I always wear white 'cause I am the black pearl.

(text swooshing) (text zapping) (gentle music) - [Crew 1] I am set.

- [Crew 2] Rolling on B.

- [Crew 3] Sound speeding.

- I'm Rex Evans, and this is "Sunday Dinner."

(gentle music) ♪ Yeah, okay ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Look, okay ♪ ♪ Count my blessings ♪ ♪ Then go to the bank with them ♪ ♪ Put a little devil in some Prada ♪ ♪ I was trying to share success with all the same ♪ ♪ You know we came from nothing ♪ ♪ Treat them boys just like fam ♪ ♪ Even though they ain't ♪ ♪ Blood ain't always thicker than water ♪ ♪ And I had some people do it for me ♪ ♪ Even though they can't ♪ ♪ Do the same If I say I got you ♪ ♪ Hold that down ♪ ♪ Hold that, hold that down, then you go up ♪ ♪ Can't let 'em see me down ♪ ♪ End up high when I show up ♪ ♪ Cut 'em off they shaking ♪ ♪ They weren't with me, they weren't sure ♪ ♪ Vacations on the beach ♪ ♪ I see 'em washed up on the shore ♪ ♪ Blood, sweat, and tears is even coming out my pores ♪ ♪ Made it through the drought ♪ ♪ And if it rain it's gone pour ♪ ♪ Umbrella keep you safe ♪ ♪ Get a cup we gone pour ♪ ♪ Over feed me then lets get a plate eat some more ♪ ♪ How you feeling, I'm great of course ♪ ♪ Had a steak on the side ♪ ♪ Baby wasn't even the main course ♪ ♪ I just keep on moving forward ♪ ♪ I let God open doors ♪ ♪ I ain't tripping ♪ ♪ Laces wrapped around my ankle like we arms ♪ ♪ I've been trying to keep the peace ♪ ♪ Yeah you know me, I keep it coy ♪ ♪ I've been trying to keep my feet ♪ ♪ And keep the pace and keep it going ♪ ♪ I've been trying to keep my peace ♪ ♪ And keep my heart keep what's important ♪ ♪ 'Cause they gonna try to take it ♪ ♪ But they can't ♪ ♪ I thank the, I thank the Lord Jesus ♪ ♪ Lord gets my heart beating, running ♪ ♪ (censored) Need orthopedics ♪ ♪ Up and like a comeback ♪ ♪ I ain't stopping when the storm, yeah ♪ ♪ Okay, ain't no stopping when the score even up ♪ ♪ They gone be running that to my son ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ (upbeat music) - I'm Rex Evans.

I make all kinds of music.

I really don't have like a genre but I mean today will be songs some like R&B, hip hop kind of fusion deal.

I've been making music, like putting out music maybe for like four years.

I've been making music, I don't know, on and off my whole life.

I come from like an artist family so it's kind of just been in me my whole life.

What made me start is some friends were doing music, they would come over to the house and we had like a little computer and stuff we would kind of tinker around with.

I kind of started making music in private.

It was mostly for them and then the stuff I did for me was for me.

And my mother, you know, does music and stuff.

So we had always, always been around.

"Sunday Dinner," I made the beat first and it was just kind of like, felt kind of churchy but not really.

I added some kind of trappy drums to it and I felt like it needed to kind of have like a grounding feel to it.

Like the lyrics need to be kind of positive, like a talk to myself.

Something I would kind of use to inspire me.

I wanted to like, I didn't know how to keep going in music so I knew I wanted to keep going so I just wanted to give myself something to keep going.

Like no matter what's going on, like you're gonna be here, you're going to keep doing your thing and that's all that matters, you know.

So it was just giving myself like a way to inspire myself, you know, count my blessings and, you know, the people around me, be thankful for the people around me, whether it's family or friends or whatever.

This is "Activated."

About to get activated.

(groovy band music) ♪ Okay ♪ (groovy band music) ♪ Look, hey I ain't settling down ♪ ♪ I'm up activated ♪ ♪ Trip days and I aint even need a map to make it ♪ ♪ (warping) Always be my mama's baby ♪ ♪ Do what I do and always took whatever karma gave me ♪ ♪ Whether it's good or bad ♪ ♪ Whether it's up or down ♪ ♪ Whether it's thick or thin ♪ ♪ Whether it's sun and shine ♪ ♪ Whether it's bust up ends ♪ ♪ I be here standing on mine ♪ ♪ Been here from start to finish ♪ ♪ I gonna rap this (censored) for life ♪ ♪ Ever since they dropped again ♪ ♪ I'm out here doubling up ♪ ♪ If I lose go double or nothing ♪ ♪ Stack it together extendos ♪ ♪ Like when it was doubling dutches ♪ ♪ Send this (censored) 'til my legs broke ♪ ♪ Then I might go running in crutches ♪ ♪ Can't quit, won't stop ♪ ♪ Last time I tried it ♪ ♪ That (warps) had me discouraged ♪ ♪ I know Gigi watching down on me ♪ ♪ She pray I never stop ♪ ♪ Got G-O-D you stay with me ♪ ♪ Ain't worried about no ops ♪ ♪ I'm dumb enough to go for it ♪ ♪ Too smart to work a clock ♪ ♪ say it pay the be up top ♪ ♪ But they ain't tell you what it cost ♪ ♪ They ain't real, they just some props ♪ ♪ Rather look like it than be like it ♪ ♪ I swear these (warps) lost ♪ ♪ Spend it on clothes and act like they been popping ♪ ♪ I made mine and reinvest the profit ♪ ♪ Then it act like we on the same level ♪ ♪ Listen, stop ♪ ♪ Ain't settling down but I'm activated ♪ ♪ Trailblazing I ain't even need a ♪ ♪ Act (warps) thinking I'll always be my mama's baby ♪ ♪ And always took whatever ♪ ♪ I took whatever karma gave me ♪ ♪ Whether it's up or down ♪ ♪ Whether it's thick or thin ♪ ♪ Whether it sun or shine ♪ ♪ Whether it's bust up ends ♪ ♪ I be here standing on mine ♪ ♪ Been here from start to end ♪ ♪ I'ma rap this (warps) for life ♪ ♪ Ever since the job done end ♪ (upbeat music) - "Activated" is kind of like a continuation of "Sunday Dinner."

It's like, man when you down it's like you gotta get back activated, I'm not settling down.

You know, as long as people around me care, like who cares what everybody else feels.

And that's kind of what that song is about, like just staying within yourself, staying motivated, staying keep going 'cause people will kind of try to stop you.

Even if they don't try to, sometimes like the world just has pressures that even if it's not meant to be negative, it can be taken as such, and, you know, you just gotta keep going.

Newnan, yeah, that's where I'm from.

That's where the chips lay, you know, that's just how fate happened.

I ended up being raised down there, there's nothing I could change about that.

I love that place.

I cut my teeth down there, it gave me great morals, great values, and I got to meet and greet like with great people.

So yeah, I really rep Newnan.

I mean I love that place.

This is "Late Night."

(gentle music) ♪ Okay ♪ ♪ Late at night again ♪ ♪ Yeah you know how that is ♪ ♪ Yeah you know how it gets ♪ ♪ And you know where I been ♪ ♪ You know why I left ♪ ♪ And you know where I went ♪ ♪ You know who I came back to ♪ ♪ Ran it up and came back home ♪ ♪ Know why I came back to you ♪ ♪ Know I came back in town for you ♪ ♪ Had to spin the block again ♪ ♪ Double around for you ♪ ♪ What's love got to do with it ♪ ♪ Now what's it got to do with love ♪ ♪ You ain't gotta tell the truth for me ♪ ♪ Just make sure that it's true ♪ ♪ Ain't no lies we won't ever have a problem ♪ ♪ Go ahead roll something and I'll crop another ♪ ♪ Say you like the way that I go get the dollars ♪ ♪ Yeah I can take it at the top ♪ ♪ Talk to me proper ♪ ♪ You left the city then you came back late ♪ ♪ I left the city trying to come back rich ♪ ♪ Trying to make it bounce on a come back kid ♪ ♪ Meant to come back, you know how that is ♪ ♪ Late night again ♪ ♪ Yeah, you know how that is ♪ ♪ Yeah, you know how it gets ♪ ♪ And you know where I been ♪ ♪ You know why I left ♪ ♪ And you know where I went ♪ ♪ You know who I came back to ♪ ♪ Ran it up and came back home ♪ ♪ Know why I came back to ya ♪ ♪ Know I came back in town for you ♪ ♪ Had to spin the block again ♪ ♪ Double around for you shoot it up ♪ ♪ You see when it's true you gonna make time for it ♪ ♪ I say when it's true you go in crying for it ♪ ♪ Can't put you over there ♪ ♪ 'Cause that's what got you here ♪ ♪ Knowing when it's wrong ♪ ♪ And then stop falling for you ♪ ♪ Look, I know you say you tied of being tied up ♪ ♪ But some only woman thing ♪ ♪ Just like Lauren taught us ♪ ♪ Don't make this harder ♪ ♪ You know love ain't even easy ♪ ♪ Say I'm never there when you are you trying to look ♪ ♪ I might go but I can't leave you alone ♪ ♪ You don't even get it ♪ ♪ You the reason I'm gone ♪ ♪ And I know that you won't leave me alone ♪ ♪ Lock it up for me ♪ ♪ Get the key when I'm gone ♪ ♪ 'Cause it's a late night again ♪ ♪ Yeah, you know how that is ♪ ♪ Yeah, you know how big it's taking over ♪ ♪ You know why I left and you know where I went ♪ ♪ You know who I came back to ♪ ♪ Ran it up and came back home ♪ ♪ Know why I came back to ya ♪ ♪ Know I came back in town for you ♪ ♪ Had to spin the block again ♪ ♪ Double around for you ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Double around for you ♪ - I'm doing this because I genuinely love music, like genuinely love it, and creation.

Like I just like creating anything.

So I just love to create like the idea of like nothing being there and then there being something because you decided to have like four or five hours put somewhere and you've created something from nothing.

I think that's pretty, pretty dope.

So that's why I'm doing it.

♪ Made in Georgia ♪ (text booming) - [Narrator] "Sounds Like ATL" is brought to you by Georgia Power.

(gentle music) W-A-B-E.